02.12.17 Double title success for Roe at Welsh International

It was double delight for Michael Roe as he departed the Welsh International with two titles to add to his collection.

In the mixed doubles, Roe and Jess Hopton had defeated fellow English pair Oliver Baczala and Natasha Lado in straight games 21-15 21-15 to book their place in the final in Cardiff.

There they met Danish duo Soren Toft Hansen and Pernille Bundgaard, though it took three games for them to seal the victory.

Having taken the early advantage, the Danes fought back in the second game to restore parity, but Roe and Hopton emerged triumphant in the third game to win 21-18 11-21 24-22.

But the day wasn’t done there for Roe as he returned to the court for the men’s doubles alongside Baczala, with the sixth seeds having defeated Soren Hald and Oliver Thomsen of Denmark in the last four.

In the final they played French second seeds Eloi Adam and Samy Corvee, and it proved to be quite the battle.

With every game going past 21 points, it was the French pair who took first blood, before Roe and Baczala levelled in the second.

And they stole the win in the decider, running out 21-23 23-21 22-20 victors to stand atop the podium.

Elsewhere, there was semi-final disappointment for several more English players, with Sam Parsons and Abigail Holden both missing out in the men’s and women’s singles respectively, while Hopton and Atu Rosalina were eliminated in the women’s doubles.